Julie Lee

During the Spring Break of 2013, I went on an IMPACT trip to Orlando, Florida. For those who are not familiar with the name, IMPACT is a program for University of Georgia students to spend a week in a service learning project and participate in meaningful programs that benefit the communities in which they work. My group consisted of 20 participants who were all strangers prior to the trip, and our particular focus was children’s advocacy. Working for the same cause and spending time together allowed us to become close friends by the end of the trip. We spent most of the week serving at a non-profit organization called Give Kids the World, which was designed with the purpose of fulfilling the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

One of the tasks at GKTW was helping out with an event called The Village Idol, an event where the children were given the opportunity to show-off their talents on stage. I was in charge of the fashion photo booth for the pre-show program, and here I interacted with children by helping them dress up in costumes. It was a beautiful sight to see the kids so energetic and full of happiness despite their illnesses. When the kids performed on the stage during the main part of the festivity, I remember watching them with my mouth wide-open. All of them had talent. The judges during the show were the kids themselves and their comments after each performance were all so encouraging and sweet. While the kids were carried away dancing and singing, I witnessed the parents cheering on their sons and daughters with tears in their eyes and trying to capture every single moment with their cameras. That night, the kids taught me to always stay positive. Despite their disabilities, the young, innocent faces shined with hope and happiness, and I will always remember those smiling faces and that incredible night. Through this trip, I learned that these kids have so much to offer, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of IMPACT and gain valuable life lessons.